Chapter Fourteen
Blue
Rain pattered loudly on the windowpanes of the Pokémon Center as Steph, Dewdano and Brendan took shelter from the storm, not bothering to sleep to watch the spectacle before their eyes. Lightning flashed with marvelously dazzling intensity and reflected off the walls. Thunder echoed sonorously a few seconds afterward, making Dewdano flinch in fear. His trainer petted him gently, though she was still shivering from being pelted by fat, cold raindrops.
Brendan was in no better condition, and his clothes were so wet that they clung to his skin. Steph's hair was dripping wet and no matter how much she wrung it out it wouldn't become any drier. She didn't mind, though, because her mind was elsewhere, and so was Brendan's. Neither of them took notice to each other until finally Steph piped up.
"So, Bren, that was a good call back there," she said as soon as the sound of cracking hail started. Dewdano was so afraid that he hid under the glass top table his trainer and her friend. Steph sighed and set her elbows up onto the table, propping up her head. Her eyes were weary with exhaustion and she might inevitably doze off if she wasn't careful.
"Anybody could've seen the storm coming," Brendan said modestly, looking away as he blushed slightly. Steph shook her head and looked at him with sincerity.
"I didn't see it," she countered softly. Brendan snapped his head around and tilted his head to one side in a confused way. Why is she acting so nice? She seems very hostile, normally, Brendan thought to himself.
Steph yawned and shut her eyes tight as another flash of lightning lit up the Pokémon Center. A deafening loud blast of thunder followed not even a few seconds later. She knew from experience that thunder would always be quick to follow a lightning strike if the storm was close. When she lived in Johto, she would hide away in her room whenever it stormed and observed the lightning and thunder carefully.
Steph looked back at her neighbor and narrowed her eyes. Back to her old self, Brendan thought. "What?" she asked, her voice bristling with aggression.
Brendan shook his head. "Nothing," he said in reply. Steph glared at him with doubt but said nothing. Dewdano peeked his head from under the table and Steph petted him with reassurance.
Minutes passed in silence between the friends, and the storm began to subside. Dewdano crept out from his hiding place and positioned himself next to Steph, who was yawning. The loud thunder was now a low grumble, and the lightning flashed much less. The hail had stopped already and the rain was nothing more than a murmur beating on the windows.
Brendan looked over at the yawning Steph. "Looks like you're ready to crash," he noted. Steph nodded sleepily and rested her head carefully on the glass table. Minutes later, she was asleep, Dewdano crouching beside her seat. Brendan was beginning to feel tired, and he glanced up at the black-and white clock that hung on the wall in front of him. It's nearly midnight, he thought tiredly. He rubbed his eyes and copied his neighbor, laying his head down on the table. The only audible sound was the quiet patter of rain, some footsteps and quiet conversation, and Steph's soft breathing. That was all he remembered before he shut his ruby eyes and nodded off.
--
The sun was barely up by the time Brendan opened his eyes again. Steph was still sleeping and Dewdano was snoring soundly. He felt something soft on him and noticed that some had draped a blanket over him, along with Steph. He still felt sort of damp, but he felt much better than he did last night. There was nobody else in the Pokémon Center besides him, Steph, Dewdano, and the nurse, who glanced up from her computer and glanced over at Brendan.
"Good morning!" she said cheerily, and Brendan returned the kind gesture with a weak smile. The nurse smiled back and she returned to her computer screen. Brendan looked down at the table and noticed a cup of some steamy beverage and a few breakfast foods in front of him. Steph had the same rations, although they were going to get cold if she didn't wake up soon.
Brendan stretched and ate in silence, the click clacking of the nurse's typing filling the room. The beverage was tasty and warmed him up from the inside. He no longer felt cold, though he was damp. He shifted his eyes to the window to see a bright, sunny morning. Nobody would have known that is stormed last night unless they stumbled across a fallen tree.
He sat there for a while; how long he didn't know, because his mind was elsewhere. Brendan sat there, contemplating the day ahead of him, which he would spend with Steph. They might make it to the next city, if they were lucky. He sipped the last bit of the steamy concoction and set the mug down onto the table. A few more minutes passed and then Steph slowly raised her head and rubbed her emerald eyes.
She looked over at Brendan, who was smiling at her. "Good morning," she said sleepily. Dewdano stirred beside her and slowly rose from his place. Steph noticed the food in front of her and examined it with curiosity.
"Good morning, Steph. Try the drink," Brendan said, gesturing to her still steaming mug. Steph picked it up cautiously and brought it to her lips. It raced down her throat as if it were fire and scalded her mouth, but it was light and delicious. She took another sip and then set it down.
"Hmm, good," she said, petting Dewdano, who was sniffing the mug. She stretched her arms and yawned. "So, do you think we'll reach the next town by tonight?"
Brendan shrugged. "I don't know. It depends, I guess." Steph nodded in understanding and took a bite out of the cooling food.
A half-hour later, Steph and Brendan were gathering their belongings and bidding farewell to the nurse. They headed out into the morning air and were surprised at how warm it was. The gray stone path led out of the city onto a dusty road that wound underneath a large, wide, gray bridge of some sort. Steph, Brendan, and Dewdano were all following the path, the two humans talking idly.
"You know, it just dawned on me that we don't even know why we're on this journey," Brendan commented, kicking a loose pebble. Dewdano chirped in agreement and Steph glared at him.
"I want to earn all the badges and…well…it's personal, really," Steph answered, watching the pebble roll around and crash into a building that led to the odd bridge. "And you want to see all kinds of Pokémon, right?"
Brendan nodded. "Yes, I do. And I'm coming with you, well…we both might get lonely, right?" Steph laughed and shook her head.
"Bren, you know I'd get lonely without you, even if you do aggravate me sometimes," Steph chortled as they began to head underneath the bridge. Tall grass grew everywhere, and a lake ran beside it. She could see some grass rustling wildly and she began to edge closer to it. Before she could get any farther, an odd green-and yellow dog-like Pokémon shot past her, Brendan, and Dewdano, cowering in fear. A Poochyena was hot in pursuit, chasing it around in circles. Steph turned around and gripped a Pokéball inside her pack.
"Poor Pokémon," Steph said as she released the Pokéball. Her Wingull came out and cried confidently. Brendan stood a few paces away and watched as Peter took down the Poochyena with a few Water Guns, which were cleverly commanded by Steph. The dog-like Pokémon growled at the fallen Poochyena and neared Steph, who picked it up and held it in her arms.
"Oh, my Poochyena!" a voice called. Steph and Brendan both snapped around and saw a girl about their age, dressed in white trainer's gear, hurriedly racing toward the Poochyena. Her hair was jet black and her eyes were a strange sapphire blue. She held a Pokéball up to the Poochyena and recalled it. She then turned and faced Steph and Brendan, her expression unreadable. "Did you do that?" Peter was wheeling above Steph's head and she recalled it hastily.
"Your Poochyena was scaring this Electrike!" Brendan said courageously, taking a step forward. The trainer huffed in an annoyed way and glared at him.
"It's just a wild Pokémon. But anyway, my Poochyena shouldn't have run off like that. Sorry for interrupting," the girl said nonchalantly. She then turned and walked away without another word, cradling her Pokéball in her arms. The Electrike looked up at Steph and made a sound much like a bark.
"Look, he likes you," Brendan said as the Electrike happily looked up at Steph. She smiled and set him down onto the ground and petted him with reassurance. Dewdano looked at the Electrike with curiosity and chirped.
"Run along, now," Steph said, shooing the Pokémon away. However, the Electrike stayed put, looking up at Steph with adoring eyes. She sighed and looked at Brendan for guidance.
"I think he wants to come with us," Brendan said, looking down at the dog-like Pokémon. Steph shrugged, took an empty Pokéball, one of the ones Brendan had given her, out of her pack, and tossed it at the Electrike. The ball didn't even wiggle and it stayed put. Steph smiled triumphantly and picked it up. She held it up to examine it and Dewdano chirped happily.
Steph paused for a moment, and then said, "I'll name you Alex." Brendan nodded, considering this name, and Steph stashed Alex's Pokéball away into her pack.
"Let's go," she said as she started her way toward the tall, wild grass.